CEMETERIES AND GRAVES. 



17 



graves do not often seem to have had a uniform position in relation 

 to one another or to the points of the compass. In some cases they 

 are chistered about a central tomb, and then assume a somewhat 

 radiate arrangement; again, according to Mr. McNiel, they are some- 

 times placed end to end, occupying long trenches. 



THE GRAVES. 



ila 



•sai.lt. 



cupyiii- <ii 

 ficientlvdi 



ite t.) liiMif valu.'. 'i'hi'gi-avi's vary coiisiilci'ahly in form, 

 construction, and depth, and are classified variously by explorers. 

 In the Bugaba cemetery Mr. Merritt found two well marked varieties, 

 the oval and the quadrangular, reference being had to the horizontal 

 section. The oval grave pits were from 4+ to G feet deep and from 3 

 to -4 feet in greatest diameter. A wall of rounded river stones 2^ to 

 3 feet high lined the lower part of the pit, and from the top of this 

 the entire space was closely packed with rounded stones. Within 

 the faced up part of this cist the remains of th« dead, the golden 

 figures, pottery, and implements had been deposited. This form is 

 illustrated in Fig. 1 by a vertical section constructed from the de- 

 scription given by Mr. Merritt. 



Fig. 1. Section of oval grave. 



The quadrangular graves were constructed in two somewhat dis- 

 tinct ways. One variety was identical in most respects with the oval 

 form illustrated above. They were sometimes as much as 6 feet deep 

 and frequently 4 by 7 feet in horizontal dimensions. In the other 

 form a pit 4 by 6^ feet in diameter was sunk to the depth of about 3 

 feet. Underneath this another pit some 2 feet in depth was sunk, 

 leaving an offset or terrace 8 or 10 inches in width all around. The 

 smaller pit was lined with flat stones placed on edge. In this cist 

 the human remains and the relics were placed and covered over witli 

 flat stones, wliieli rested upon the terrace and prevented the superin- 

 cumbent mass, which consisted of closely packed river stones, from 



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